Value of this vintage Marshall checker 4x12 with g12-65's??

[RedPlated]

That cab is pretty clean for that age, and the wiring looks correct. And yes, Marshall frequently put the wrong silver labels on the back panels for the power handling. I had one from 79/80 that had the same 100w on the back. I would get date codes for those speakers, and check to make sure they haven't been reconed as well, which will require checking the cones, unmounting them, etc. You might be able to see the cone #'s with a compact mirror and flashlight, and check to make sure they have the large 4" wide dustcaps though the grill cloth.

$750 would be a decent price if it's original, not reconed, etc.

$1050 is a tad high.

Just my .02.

Thanks, Jim. Always appreciate your advice...

I feel a little better about the price after the responses here. Sounds like its a fair price.

FWIW, you can stick your phone in there and take pics of cone codes/etc if you can't see them. Can't tell you how many obscured/non-visible labels/cone codes/etc I've been able to read from doing that. Might take a few tries.

Here's a pic of the 1777 cone code on a G12-65. Ya, it looks beat but it was $40 and sounds great.

I'm definitely going to check the date codes and cones...

 

[Speeddemon]

^ as far as I know, the 1777 cone just means they're not the bass cones, and you don't want bass cone G12-65s.

I don't know, I nabbed a clean 1981 Marshall cab with the dreaded bass cones, sounded just like any other 65 cab to me with a little more bass response. I'd heard that they were garbage but sounded good to me.

Not my experience.
At one point I had 4 different G12-65's, one of them being a Heritage reissue (and also owned a WGS ET-65 at the time).
The 444 cone sounded way too mellow.

The same thing goes for the G12-K85 by the way; even though it might still be stamped T3585, not all versions feature a 1777 cone. If buying a used G12-K85, make sure the cone is ribbed. I sold the one I had to a jazz player who preferred it, but for my hardrock/metal taste, it was way too dark.

Mind you, I *do* like the original Pulsonic coned G12-H30 55Hz's. Still need to build a cab for the two I have though.

Oh, and ALWAYS test such a G12-65 cab on VOLUME. Those speakers need some juice before they reveal their true power.

 

[Racerxrated]

^ as far as I know, the 1777 cone just means they're not the bass cones, and you don't want bass cone G12-65s.

I don't know, I nabbed a clean 1981 Marshall cab with the dreaded bass cones, sounded just like any other 65 cab to me with a little more bass response. I'd heard that they were garbage but sounded good to me.

Not my experience.
At one point I had 4 different G12-65's, one of them being a Heritage reissue (and also owned a WGS ET-65 at the time).
The 444 cone sounded way too mellow.

The same thing goes for the G12-K85 by the way; even though it might still be stamped T3585, not all versions feature a 1777 cone. If buying a used G12-K85, make sure the cone is ribbed. I sold the one I had to a jazz player who preferred it, but for my hardrock/metal taste, it was way too dark.

Mind you, I *do* like the original Pulsonic coned G12-H30 55Hz's. Still need to build a cab for the two I have though.

Oh, and ALWAYS test such a G12-65 cab on VOLUME. Those speakers need some juice before they reveal their true power.

Well, the consensus on some other forums is the 444 cones are TERRIBLE and to stay away. I like lead cones best, but I thought the bass cones were very close to my 79 cab I had next to it. I was hoarding 65s lol. Nowhere near as bad as you would read. I do agree on giving them some volume..great speaker.

 

[sg guy]

-I wouldn't pay that much for it, I don't think its miss-labeled, I believe the 65's were installed at some point, bring your amp, try before ya buy, 65's are the original high powered greenback's, some complain that the 65's are "too smooth", others love them, I really liked them with a JCM 800, not so much with a JMP.

 

[RedPlated]

I went and checked it out...

It's a clean cab, but not quite as clean as pics make it seem. It's missing a corner, some tolex tears, grill is more faded than in pics. But for being 37 years old, it's kind of expected.

The speakers all dated to Oct 29 1980 so I believe they are original to the cab.

However, only one speaker cone had the "1777" stamp on it. The other three had no stamps whatsoever. But those three speakers all did have what appeared to be the same initial or letter in black sharpie on them. My initial observation was that they have been reconed, but I'm by no means an expert.

I didn't feel comfortable buying the cab with those issues. Any ideas on the cone issue?

 

[Scumback Speakers]

I just sold off a spare G12-65 I had here, and it had the black ink 1777 on the cone. Pretty tough to spot unless you're looking and have a flashlight or strong light to examine the cone. So they could still be original, but you'd probably have to remove them from the cab to make sure they had the 1777 in black ink on the cone.

 

[RedPlated]

Yeah we used flashlights and examined them very closely. Couldn't find a stamp anywhere. I'm fairly certain they didn't have any.

 

[halebox]

Stamps are hard to find sometimes black or white. Marker with other numbers also stock I believe. Come see mine if interested cones all original but cab is beat

 

[mixn4him]

How did it sound? Nothing seems worth walking away from, for a 37yr old cab, as long as all 4 sound good...

 

[cardinal]

I went and checked it out...

It's a clean cab, but not quite as clean as pics make it seem. It's missing a corner, some tolex tears, grill is more faded than in pics. But for being 37 years old, it's kind of expected.

The speakers all dated to Oct 29 1980 so I believe they are original to the cab.

However, only one speaker cone had the "1777" stamp on it. The other three had no stamps whatsoever. But those three speakers all did have what appeared to be the same initial or letter in black sharpie on them. My initial observation was that they have been reconed, but I'm by no means an expert.

I didn't feel comfortable buying the cab with those issues. Any ideas on the cone issue?

I have a G12-65 can with the same blank cones other than some sharpie marks. In the reading I've done, it's not unheard of with the G12-65 and its not indicative of a recone. But I'm not expert. The cab I have sounds great with every amp I've tried it with.

 

[Racerxrated]

I went and checked it out...

It's a clean cab, but not quite as clean as pics make it seem. It's missing a corner, some tolex tears, grill is more faded than in pics. But for being 37 years old, it's kind of expected.

The speakers all dated to Oct 29 1980 so I believe they are original to the cab.

However, only one speaker cone had the "1777" stamp on it. The other three had no stamps whatsoever. But those three speakers all did have what appeared to be the same initial or letter in black sharpie on them. My initial observation was that they have been reconed, but I'm by no means an expert.

I didn't feel comfortable buying the cab with those issues. Any ideas on the cone issue?

I have a G12-65 can with the same blank cones other than some sharpie marks. In the reading I've done, it's not unheard of with the G12-65 and its not indicative of a recone. But I'm not expert. The cab I have sounds great with every amp I've tried it with.

This. I've owned 5 65 cabs and every one had blank cones, with sharpie marks except one. Some with the sharpie marks also had very hard to find black 1777 stamps also. But they are super hard to read. The code on the speaker frame will tell you what cones they have..3120, marshall labeled 1777s, 3104, Rola celestion 1777s, etc. Gotta play it to really tell if they are your thing.

 

[RedPlated]

Fantastic info on the cone markings, thanks. Maybe it is all original then. The cab is super clean inside and the speakers look really nice. 3 recones would seem like a lot in one cab anyway, but it's possible.

Bad thing is, I can't play it. It stored at a public storage unit and there's no where to plug in.

I'm still considering the cab, I'm thinking I'd buy it but at a lesser price just to account for the unknowns with the cones and the fact I can't test it.

 

[cardinal]

A quad of these speakers will handle a relatively high amount of power. I've read too many reports of these codeless G12-65s to think that they were getting blown up so frequently. Seems more likely that they were stamped with an ink that fades or some just weren't stamped at all.